Instant Recap: Cowboys Come Back on the Road, Top West Virginia 41-24

BOXSCORE

Oklahoma State looked ready to get run over by West Virginia’s stout run game, but the Cowboys took advantage of a major momentum swing and never looked back, defeating West Virginia 41-24 in Morgantown.

After digging an early hole, the Pokes’ defense found a way to contain West Virginia’s stout run game and Drew Mestemaker and Co. finished the game on five-straight scoring drives.

It was a strength-on-strength battle of the QBs. Mestemaker went 20-for-27 for 389 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He completed 10 passes of at least 20 yards. West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins Jr. came in leading all FBS quarterbacks in rushing. He carried it 27 times for 102 yards and three rushing TDs.

The Mountaineers hit the ground running, just like everyone expected. It says something when the other team knows exactly what you want to do, and you can do it anyway. It says even more when the other team can adjust in a hostile environment and make that team one-dimensional.

The Mountaineers outrushed the Cowboys 131-84 in the first quarter. They were up 14-3 early in the second quarter. That’s when the Cowboys’ defense made a big play and the tide started to turn.

West Virginia was threatening to go up 21-6 late in the second quarter when OSU defensive end Keviyan Huddleston batted a pass by Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cowboy safety Mose Phillips III plucked it from the air and returned it 30 yards. A few plays later, Mestemaker found receiver Justin Bowick for a 21-yard touchdown to make it 14-13.

The Cowboys came out of halftime hitting big play after big play down the field, but that momentum was stolen when Mestemaker threw a pick in the red zone. Seven players later, Michael Hawkins Jr. walked in for his third rushing TD of the game to make it 21-13.

But just like he did against Oregon, Mestemaker walked out on the field after throwing a pick with his memory wiped clean. He led OSU on a four-play, 75-yard TD drive. He went 3-for-3 and then found receiver Terrence Lewis for a score and then hit him again for the two-point conversion to tie it up at 21-all early in the third quarter.

The Cowboys came in tied for first in the nation in third-down defense, but the Mountaineers got most of what they wanted on the money down early. WVU was 5-of-8 on third down in the first half and finished 9-of-17. But the Cowboys clamped down when they needed to and got three fourth-down stops in the second half.

OSU got another big stop thanks to a big-time play for Christian Bodnar to stop Hawkins on third-and-goal from the five. WVU had to settle for a field goal and went up 24-21.

The Cowboys answered quickly. Mestemaker found receiver Wyatt Young for a 48-yard strike across the middle and then Caleb Hawkins capped the drive with a 22-yard touchdown to go up 28-24. The Pokes had their first lead of the game with 2:40 to go in the third.

Once again, the Cowboys’ offense took advantage of a defensive momentum play.

After taking that 28-24 lead, OSU created a turnover on downs. The next play, Mestemaker found Young for ANOTHER 48-yard reception to get to WVU’s 35-yard line. The Cowboys stalled in the red zone after a false start and settled for a field goal to go up a full touchdown 31-24 with 13:58 to go.

Then early in the fourth, defensive end Malik Charles sacked Hawkins for a loss of eight on third down to force the Mountaineers to punt and give OSU the ball up seven with 10 minutes to go. Then it was the Cowboys’ run game that took over.

Every previous OSU drive in the second half had been under two minutes. This time the Pokes slowed it down and took 4:27 to score a TD and go up 38-24 with 5:42 to go. The Cowboys got another big stop, sacking Hawkins on fourth-and-5 to effectively seal it.

OSU kicker Sam Keltner is perfect on the year and was a perfect 4-for-4 on the day, capping it with a 47-yard field goal to push OSU’s lead to 41-24.

Running back Caleb Hawkins was the workhorse that let the Cowboys take control. He took 31 handoffs for 180 yards and a score. He had seven runs on first down that went for at least seven yards. That just takes the soul out of a defense.

Wyatt Young continues to be the Cowboys go-to playmaker. He finished with eight catches on nine targets for 192 yards and a score. He had consecutive receptions of 21, 40, 48, 48 and 28 yards.

Four Cowboys had double digit tackle numbers. Ethan Wesloski was all over the place with 16 tackles (seven solo) and a 0.5 sack. Tate Romney and Quinton Hammonds each had a dozen takedowns. Mose Phillips had 11 plus an interception.

With the win, OSU improves to 3-1 and 1-0 in Big 12 play. Next up, the Cowboys head into an early bye week on a positive note. They’ll return home to host UCF Saturday Oct. 10.